I am reading a fascinating book at the moment about someone whose job it is to “trauma clean” – she is the cleaner who goes in after a murder, suicide or bad tenant; the person whom the council gets to clean up for hoarders and wash down former methadone labs.
What an interesting, disgusting, daunting and slightly terrifying job!
However, the deeper I get into the book, the more I see how badly traumatised the cleaner herself has been by her abusive upbringing, health issues and poor life choices, and I wish I could introduce her to the Great Trauma Cleaner of the Soul, Jesus Christ.
The same way this trans woman goes into chaos, rescues what is good and sanitises what is filthy, throws out what is garbage, replaces what is missing and brings order and wholeness, so Jesus can do to her soul, psyche and circumstances.
Big blood stains in your past where you have murdered morality? “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” (Isaiah 1:18)
Masses of trashy thinking and garbage ideas that needs to binned? “As far as the east is from the west, so far have You removed our sins from us.”
Relationships burnt out on the altar of convenience? God promises to give you “beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning.” (Isaiah 61:3)
Blind with pain and stumbling in the darkness of your own mind? Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12
Feel filthy with guilt and shame? You can pray, “Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. … Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:1,10) “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.” (Ezekiel 36:25)
Past piled high with broken bits of memory and leaking pain? “He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)
Stench of death in your life? “Even though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me, Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)
The central heating of your emotions cold and atrophied? God says, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)
Polluted by foul thoughts and crawling with disease? “Behold, I will bring … health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.” (Jeremiah 33:6)
Lost precious things in the stacks of your poor choices? “I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places; that you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, am the God of Israel.” (Isaiah 45:3)
Plagued by bugs of bad habits that have chewed through your finances and future? “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, … I am the Lord your God and there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame.” (Joel 2:25,27)
Jesus stands at the door of your life and knocks, open your life-house to Him and like the leper in the Bible kneel down to Him and say to Him, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’
“Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed’.” (Mark 1:41)